I am not growing Kiwi but I wonder if the vine is too old to be pruned to a height that would allow harvesting the fruit.
From the link:"PRUNING: Kiwis require special training and pruning to produce good crops. When planted, the vines should be pruned back to 4 or 5 buds. From these a main stem should be selected and staked to grow to the top of the arbor or trellis, usually 6-7Â high. The trellis should be strong to support the heavy future fruit loads."

Here is a link that might be useful: growing kiwi

OOhhh, yes!!! Kiwi takes heavy annual pruning in order to manage it. Quite a bit like wine grapes. That also prevents all of the excessive seedling growth. I think you should try to get rid of what you have seen grown wild in your woods, and capture this plant. Sounds invasive. I've not heard of this.

Ohhhh, boy!!! I would love to have two kiwi vines in my next garden. How long did it take for your two original plants to bear fruits? I love the taste of kiwi, and I have parrots, so having that fruit would serve two purposes. I'd like to plant it where I could pluck fruits from it when it gets as high as a deck raised 10-12 feet off the ground.

Will it thrive in Z8b, like in Mobile?

I also have 2 kiwi vines (fussless so I was told )I must have the same sex cause all they do is run and take over. They are 4-5 yrs old.Iam disappointed in mine.

Joni,
The 'fuzzless'/hardy kiwis, A.arguta, usually take 5-7 years to attain sufficient maturity to begin fruiting, in my experience, so you may still get fruit in the next couple of years.

In their native habitat, kiwi vines are vigorous, rampant climbers, not unlike wild grapevines, maybe even approaching the invasiveness of kudzu and wisteria.

I am interested in the kiwi for planting inside a parrot aviary in this latitude. Of course, all parts of it have to be safe to chew--leaves, bark, wood, roots, as well as the flower and fruit. A vigorous grower is a good thing in such a location.

my vine took seven years before i saw fruit. after that....the two vines have been pretty promiscuous. LOL

i actually have a vine growing around my parrot aviary. they nibble on the leaves and keep the shoots pruned. it provides shade in our hot summers, but allows warm sunshine in the winter. (it was really warm last sunday at 75F).

im not sure it would last inside the aviary with as much as parrots like to chew. i planted it on a bamboo post well away from the reach of the birds. the vine is now 40 ft high in the adjacent tree.

moc...youre welcome to some seedlings. we can trade or just for postage. the problem now is finding them since they have defoliated.LOL i should be able to find some tho.

Can anyone tell me how to distinguish male from female plants without looking at the flowers? E.g do male hardy kiwi (a. arguta) leaves out first in spring?

Plantaholic, I would like some cuttings or seedlings from a male plant, I have 3 females on the trellis but my male died, think the big fire ant mound did it in and need a new one. Will send you a Pmail stamp.

Bob

you cannot distinguish plants until they bloom. the male flowers have stamens. well....i guess you can also say a plant is female if its bearing fruit.

otherwise, you need a named selection of known gender. my vines are intertwined and its impossible to tell which is which. seedlings are of unknown sex until they flower. it takes 7 years of more to flower.

oh goodie i'll be dead before these two plants mate and make fruit. may as well just let the morning glories take em over, they dont fruit, but they flower abundantly and it's easier then pulling up all these darn seedlings. I think i've pulled nearly 10 thousand seedling and they just keep comming, i might should have found a different place for the kiwi.

Oooh, has anyone else had a problem with fire ants? I just ordered a Ken's Red, Anna and a male--they are supposed to be delivered in two days!

I don't think anything could take over in the Texas Hill Country because if you don't water, everything dies in late August! But fire ants could be a problem. Also, has anyone had problems with gophers? We've got them too!

I was amazed to find the kiwi on the massachusetts list of invasives!

If your offering some starts I would love to try some out. I have tried years ago to grow some, may have been the wrong ones but would love to try again. I am willing to pay postage for a male and female or trade something for them. trudyjean

trudy

being seedlings, you cannot tell M from F until they flower....usually 7 yrs. i might have a seedling(s) left if youre interested.

My kiwi vines bloomed this year for the first year. However all the fruit (or so I thought it was fruit) dried up within days except for 3-4. What gives?